Meringues with Poached Pink Lady Apples and Sorbet

method:

• Preheat the oven to 160C/325F/Gas 3 (reduce for fan ovens) and line a baking tray with some greaseproof paper. Put the egg whites in a bowl with a pinch of salt and whisk until soft peaks form when the whisks are lifted. Add the sugar a few tablespoons at a time whisking well between each addition until stiff and glossy.
• Put a small blob of meringue at each corner of the oven tray to secure the paper. Drop four mounds of meringue onto the paper and, using the back of a spoon, push into an approximately 10cm circle making a slight indent in the centre.
• Bake for 10 minutes, lower the oven temperature to 100C/210F/Gas 1/4 (reduce for fan ovens) and bake for one hour until they lift off the tray easily. Cool on a wire track and store in an airtight container.
• Meanwhile to make the sorbet and poached apples for the filling, put the apple slices in a large pan with the sugar and water. Cook covered on a medium heat for 10 minutes until soft. Remove 24 of the apple slices, put in a bowl and reserve.
• Tip the rest of the apples into a food processor and blitz to a purée. Freeze the purée overnight. Blitz again in the processor until smooth and paler and refreeze for a minimum of four hours.
• To serve, spoon some softly whipped cream over each meringue if wanted, top with the reserved apple slices and add a scoop of sorbet.